The Dublin Coffee Guide - Sampler

First published 2025 by Sitric Books, An imprint of The Lilliput Press Ltd. 62–63 Sitric Road, Arbour Hill, Dublin 7, Ireland www.lilliputpress.ie Text & Image copyright © Patrick Kirk, 2025 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior permission of the publisher.

A CIP record for this title is available from The British Library.

Paperback ISBN 978 1 84351 957 7 eBook ISBN 978 1 84351 982 9 Design and typesetting by Sarah McCoy Set in 8 pt on 13 pt Neometric Printed and bound in Scotland by Bell & Bain

DSC_Layout_Final.indd 2

13/10/2025 10:58

DSC_Layout_Final.indd 3

13/10/2025 10:58

Contents

DSC_Layout_Final.indd 4

13/10/2025 10:58

2

Introduction

6 North Dublin City 66 South Dublin City 150 City Centre 268 Outskirts

DSC_Layout_Final.indd 1

352

Coffee Brew Guide

358

The Bailies Story

363

Checklist

364

Acknowledgments

13/10/2025 10:58

PADDY KIRK

2 | The Dublin Coffee Guide

DSC_Layout_Final.indd 2

13/10/2025 10:58

Introduction

‘What’s the best coffee shop in Dublin?’ The number of times I get asked this question would amaze you. I always try to give an honest answer, but dozens of spaces come to mind all at once, and the more you learn about the passionate people behind each of them, the harder this question is to answer. Each café has its own unique and compelling reason to love it. So instead of choosing just one, I’ve decided to bring my top choices together in one place, on a level(ish) playing field, to let you decide for yourself.

Dublin is my hometown and a place I love. I grew up in Raheny and went to St. Fintan’s High School in Sutton, a place which offered me a perfect balance of education and sport. The school and its supportive staff have benefited me far more than I ever could have imagined.

From there, I pursued a degree in Communications in Dublin City University. At DCU, I was exposed to a whole new creative world where I could hone my interest and skills in social media, photography and learn about advertising and marketing.

Football has always been a core part of my life. I played throughout my studies, and upon graduating began playing professionally with Bohemian F.C. The League of Ireland was a little different back then, with most players working day jobs alongside training and matches. It was during this period that I got a part-time job working in a café for the first time at As One (which you’ll find featured in this book!). This job had a major impact on me, and my interest in coffee soon bloomed.

So too did my curiosity for café spaces and the interplay between the space, the coffee and the experience. This curiosity would lead to the creation of DubStreetCafé, a project that looked to capture the essence of these special establishments.

Football continued to take centre-stage for me, and after spells playing with Longford Town and Sligo Rovers, I found my way back to Bohs. Playing for Bohemians was a true honour and a key part of my personal and professional journey. It has always been Introduction | 3

DSC_Layout_Final.indd 3

13/10/2025 10:58

more than a football club; it is a true cultural hub and a microcosm of Dublin at its very best. Immersing myself in the Bohs community helped me understand that sport, fashion, community, shared spaces and culture are more intrinsically linked than I had ever imagined.

It was off the back of this realisation that DubStreetCafé (and my other passion project DubStreetWear) were born. Even while pursuing a career in professional football, it was important to me to maintain an outlet for my creative practices.

After the Covid-19 lockdown, I felt compelled to explore Dublin again, a feeling I soon found was shared by many. I have always found comfort in the café as a third space – I spend a lot of time in them, whether that’s working away on my laptop or catching up with family or friends. The thoughtful design features and flow of these spaces has always fascinated me, so I began photographing café interiors and shop fronts. I set up an Instagram account as a platform to share these images, which quickly gained traction. I loved the simple act of sharing images, tagging the businesses and feeling the genuine appreciation from owners and regulars.

In creating the page, I knew I’d tapped into a real appetite of discovery for coffee shops and bakeries in Dublin. The only issue was that I’d found it difficult to keep up with the fast-paced world of social media and short-form content, a feeling shared with many café owners I’ve come to know. It was around this time that I was speaking with my friend Gianni Clifford – the brilliant designer behind the DubStreetCafé brand. As the creative force behind Kneecap’s visuals, Gianni brought a playful, distinctly Dublin energy to everything he creates, and he imbued the online project with that energy.

Gianni’s Dublin Bricks project captured that same spirit perfectly. Much like myself, what began for him as a lockdown hobby – building Lego versions of Dublin’s pubs – grew into a joyful celebration of the city’s culture, humour, and community. During our conversation, I asked him ‘What would be a dream project to work on?’

4 | The Dublin Coffee Guide

DSC_Layout_Final.indd 4

13/10/2025 10:58

‘The next one. If I can think of a project, then it likely already exists, someone’s done a good job on it. The dream needs to be the next idea, what pops into your head in the shower or on the morning run. That’s what excites me!’

This immediately got my mind working – I knew I wanted to produce something with the energy of the online

project,

but

also

something

slower,

more

considered and a tangible object you can hold in your hands. This book is my attempt to do just that.

The Dublin Coffee Guide is a celebration of the people behind Dublin’s independent coffee scene, the hardworking and passionate people who take a risk to create new spaces for connections, experiences, good quality coffee and produce. In a tough landscape for small businesses, I want it to serve as a nod to everything they add to this great city. There is something truly special about Dublin’s coffee scene – in my opinion, it can often feel overshadowed by the city’s pub culture – these are places built on genuine connection, community and passion.

After conducting dozens of interviews with café owners, founders, staff and regulars in Dublin, one thing stood out: there’s a palpable sense of mutual respect and admiration among them. All agree it is far from easy, but the wins are found in community. These spaces are the hubs and meeting points dotted around the city where residents and visitors alike can connect with friends and strangers. In a world that is becoming more and more individualistic, compartmentalised and isolated, there is more of a need than ever for places to connect. It is an added bonus that these spaces happen to have some of the highest quality coffee and produce in the world!

Dublin’s independent coffee culture must be protected and supported, and it is my hope that this book can archive and showcase some of the best in the game.

Introduction | 5

DSC_Layout_Final.indd 5

13/10/2025 10:58

Dublin 3, Dublin 7, Dublin 9, Dublin 11

North Dublin City

DSC_Layout_Final.indd 6

13/10/2025 10:58

The Little Cactus Two Boys Brew Bang Bang Elliot’s Proper Order Lilliput Stores Sweeney’s D3 Urbanity

DSC_Layout_Final.indd 7

13/10/2025 10:58

DSC_Layout_Final.indd 8

13/10/2025 10:58

THE LITTLE CACTUS 1A PRUSSIA ST, STONEYBATTER, D07 CH73 FOUNDED: 2021

The Little Cactus is a community space that feels like home, perhaps because it used to be a house, with a unique history.

DSC_Layout_Final.indd 9

13/10/2025 10:58

DSC_Layout_Final.indd 10

13/10/2025 10:58

KATE O’DEA AND JAMIE STEWART

The Little Cactus have sought inspiration from many sources, though the community itself is at the heart of it.

The Little Cactus is a local hang-out serving speciality coffee and food, in a space filled with house plants and vintage clothing for sale.

The physical space gives the café its character. It feels like you’re walking into our kitchen, then sitting room, then garden!

We have always been into plants, especially cacti. We decided to sell plants and coffee, so it made sense to call the café after one of our favourites.

We knew we wanted the café to be in Stoneybatter as we love the place and the people. It was actually the first location we viewed and luckily during the pandemic there were a lot of units available. The space was a pharmacy before, but we could see the potential.

The Little Cactus | 11

DSC_Layout_Final.indd 11

13/10/2025 10:58

It’s so creative and rewarding to be a part of a community. We feel we couldn’t be in a better neighbourhood. The most rewarding part of being a coffee shop owner is being a part of a community, and bringing joy to

Keep an eye out for pop-up’s and event through their social channels.

people’s lives.

Living in Vancouver and London definitely gave us inspiration for the café, too. Seeing the way that different cultures operate their cafés and what they offer.

Coffee trends definitely influence how we operate.

It’s a competitive market, so you always need to keep an eye on what’s going on and get ahead. Our house blend is Nota Blend by Bailies, and our pastry suppliers are Tartine and Blackpitts.

They most recently collaborated with Dublin based brewery Zingibeer.

Hosting an evening of ginger beer and Báhn Mis in the sun.

12 | The Dublin Coffee Guide

DSC_Layout_Final.indd 12

13/10/2025 10:58

Christopher Flood, who once lived in the house where Little Cactus resides today, worked at Dublin Zoo for over half a century, up to his death in 1933. Known especially for handling big cats, he recognised the quirks and personalities of each animal. His skill and empathy earned admiration from fellow zookeepers across Europe.

DSC_Layout_Final.indd 13

13/10/2025 10:58

DSC_Layout_Final.indd 14

13/10/2025 10:58

TWO BOYS BREW 375 NORTH CIRCULAR ROAD, PHIBSBOROUGH, D07 FWY1 FOUNDED: 2016

The mission at Two Boys Brew is simple, the methods are Melbourne-inspired, and their hard work is paying off as the café won Best Café in Dublin at the 2025 restaurant awards.

DSC_Layout_Final.indd 15

13/10/2025 10:58

Our talented team work hard every day to deliver what has been our mission since day one: to take the very best of food and coffee, service and atmosphere and bring them together to create the best experience.

We always wanted to open a café! It was a dream that grew so much stronger while living in Melbourne.

We both worked full-time in the city in jobs we loved but our weekends were devoted to travelling around the city and as many other cities as we could manage, visiting the best cafés for brunch and coffee roasters

Two Boys Brew materialised into reality once they found their space, in the heart of Phibsborough.

that produced some of the best coffee on offer.

When we initially moved home from Melbourne we had a few areas in mind for where we’d like to set the café up, but when we explored them, we couldn’t find a building or space that felt right for what we wanted to do.

The design of the space also plays a huge part in showcasing your brand’s DNA. Living abroad, visiting the cafés we loved, the space itself was such an important part of the overall café experience. When we stepped inside there was an instant knowing that this was the space for us and what we wanted to create. When it feels right, you just have to go with that gut feeling.

In terms of coffee, I think Dublin is up there with the best of them, as is the food you find in the restaurants around the city. Like ourselves a few years ago, there are lots of people travelling, living abroad and moving back to Ireland with fresh ideas and business concepts that keep a city like Dublin evolving and exciting.

Design elements like lighting, colour schemes, music, furniture and décor all help shape the ambiance of your café and can make a space somewhere people want to return to again and again.

16 | The Dublin Coffee Guide

DSC_Layout_Final.indd 16

13/10/2025 10:58

DSC_Layout_Final.indd 17

13/10/2025 10:58

Our space has a mix of low, high and communal seating which creates a beautiful atmosphere throughout the day. We wanted our space to feel like a home away from home for people, so we chose very calm, muted colours which echoed the spaces we enjoyed

With their space locked-on, it set the scene for their offerings to take centre stage.

ourselves throughout our travels. We also wanted to make sure there was as much natural wood and greenery as possible.

Coffee has been a driving force behind TBB since day one, with Root & Branch Coffee Roasters at the foundation of our offering; we can bring our customers the best coffee from one of Ireland’s great roasters every day.

We have been working with Simon and his team at Root & Branch for about eight years now, and like when we first started working with them, we still feel that they produce the best coffee in Ireland.

18 | The Dublin Coffee Guide

DSC_Layout_Final.indd 18

13/10/2025 10:58

Phibsborough’s story stretches back to the eighteenth century, when the Royal Canal spurred its growth as a key route into Dublin.

Georgian and Victorian terraces still shape the streetscape today. Landmarks like Dalymount Park and the Mater Hospital highlight its long role in the city’s sporting, social and civic history.

DSC_Layout_Final.indd 19

13/10/2025 10:58

20 | The Dublin Coffee Guide

DSC_Layout_Final.indd 20

13/10/2025 10:58

Each week we get a delivery of our espresso roast, which at the moment is a beautiful natural Brazilian coffee which has notes of milk chocolate, hazelnut and honeycomb. It pairs beautifully with the organic Irish milk we use and we also cover a wide range of filter coffees from them for people to enjoy in the café or take home and brew themselves.

We make the vast majority of our bakes in-house and have done since day one, however from time to time we offer a small selection of pastries from our wonderful bread supplier, Tartine.

On Saturday mornings, it’s hard to compete with their Chilli Eggs – sweet, peppered scrambled eggs on toasted sourdough with feta, seed and almond hazelnut dukkah, fresh scallions & pickled red chilli. Ideal paired with a flat white from their house roast.

Two Boys Brew | 21

DSC_Layout_Final.indd 21

13/10/2025 10:58